A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court has ordered the issue of Letters Rogatory (LR) to four countries seeking details of a company and its bank transactions in the illegal mining case registered against former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy.
The special judge for CBI cases, E Chandrakala, passed the orders to issue letters of rogatory/request for judicial assistance to the competent authorities in Switzerland, Singapore, the UAE and the Isle of Man.
In the order passed on March 4, the special judge said, “The application filed under Sec.166-A CrPC for judicial assistance to the competent authority in Switzerland is hereby allowed.”
In its charge sheet on illegal mining and export of around 8 million metric tonnes during 2009-2010 by the Associated Mining Company (AMC), the CBI claimed that a substantial portion of the amount was suspected to be parked by Reddy in various countries. Thus, the CBI requested that the issuance of the letter of request is essential to find out the existence of the company and bank account in the name of GLA Trading International Private Limited.
The LR has sought information on GLA Trading International Private Limited, including its incorporation details and a certified copy of the statement of account in the banks in the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland and Singapore. The letter also sought details of the owners and authorized signatories, real beneficiaries of the company and the relationship of Janardhana Reddy and his wife Lakshmi Aruna with the company.
The order stated that an LR can be made to the competent authority for the investigation outside India as per the agreement India has with all these countries as International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO) members.
The court, in its order, noted the CBI’s request. “It is to be noted that, in the charge sheet, it has alleged that the accused persons were involved in illegal mining under a mining lease issued in the name of Associated Mining Company. As per the information provided by the authorities, the entire money so gained through the process of illegal mining would form part of the proceeds of crime and is required to find out and initiate legal proceedings. Therefore, the information is required as sought,” the court noted in its order.
As per the information, the money gained through the process of illegal mining would form part of the proceeds of crime, and it is necessary to find and identify the money and initiate legal action, the CBI added.
The special judge agreed with the CBI that the submissions by GLA Trading were not in the required format. “Hence, the statement and documents are required in the manner which is admissible under the Indian Evidence Act,” it said.
Meanwhile, Gali Janardhana Reddy said that “he hunts like a tiger”. He asked the people to “wait and see how many deer would go home after tiger hunting”.
He was talking at an International Women’s Day event in Kanakagiri on Wednesday.
“A tiger is a tiger even if it is in the cage, a tiger even if it is outside. I hunt like a tiger. I have not joined the party to become an MLA. I could have become an MLA (from) wherever I stand. But the admiration, love and applause of the people here cannot be found in Bengaluru.” Reddy said.
Janardhan Reddy, a former BJP leader, has launched his party Kalyan Karnataka Pragathi Paksha (KKJP). Actively campaigning in Bellary, Vijayanagara, Koppal and Raichur districts, he had announced that no one could stop him from raiding his firms. His statements followed raids from ED and IT on his firms.
